Wallace Green (center) visits with President Gary Boswick and Rotarian Ashley Molinaro after his inspiring talk.
The Program
Rotarian Ashley Molinaro introduced Wallace Green, recognized by Gov. Terry McAuliffe as Virginia's 2017 Outstanding Senior Volunteer. Wallace received a kidney transplant in 2015 from an 8-year old donor. That act of generosity motivated him to reach out and educate people about organ donation and the rewards of giving. It was obvious that he knows a great deal about the process. Here are some facts that we learned:
- There are almost 120,000 people on the waiting list for organ transplants in this country; 24 people are added to this list every day.
- You can be a donor at any age.
- One donor can save as many as eight lives through organ donations many more through tissue and eye donations.
- Celebrity or financial status are not factors in getting a transplant before others on the waiting list.
- Donation is possible from people with many medical conditions, including HIV.
- All major religions approve of organ and tissue donation.
- A national computer system and strict standards are in place to ensure ethical and fair distribution of organs.
- A person can become a donor after death by donating a kidney, or a part of the liver, lung, intestine, blood or bone marrow.
- Kidneys are organs that can come from a living donor since people can live well with one functioning kidney.
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the private, non-profit organization that manages the nation's organ transplant system under contract with the federal government. It is located in Richmond and it maintains a 24-hour, 365 day database to match donors with candidates. Cadavers provide many organs and tissue for donation: kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, intestines, corneas, skin, eyes, tendons, and valves. Hampton Roads-based LifeNet Health, which arranged for Wallace's presentation, is a national provider of organs and tissue.
There is no age limit to being an organ donor. To make sure others know you are an organ donor, it is wise to have a will and a medical power of attorney that identifies you as an organ donor. This should also be identified on your driver's license. Once a person is legally dead, doctors can evaluate the organs to see if they are appropriate for harvesting. Then the doctor notifies UNOS to see if a candidate is available. Many kidney patients, like Wallace, wait years for a donation; In the interim they must go on dialysis. Once an individual has been diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease he or she becomes eligible for Meidicare, which pays for kidney transplants (for the operations on both the donor and the recipient.)
The Meeting
Pam Tubbs led us in singing The Four Way Test. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Jim Baker led the invocation. Our School of the Week is Jaycox Elementary, which received a book in honor of our speaker.
Alan Nelson introduced our visitors. Chan Zucker, a Rotarian from the Hampton Roads Club, who was invited by Pam Tubbs to join us. Steve Schultz introduced Jem Garcia and Nehemiah Harris, who are both active in ODU Rotaract. Eleanor Schoonover introduced Cha-A-Tai Ozseker, an Old Dominion University student from Turkey who was in Rotaract back home. Dyteya Lewis introduced Liz Scaggs, Director of Marketing at the Ballentine. Bob Latimer introduced a former member, John Coggeshall, who says he has more time to make the meetings and may re-join our club. Chip Vogan introduced Reggie Spruill, who recently ran for sheriff in Norfolk.
Announcements
Pam Tubbs and Lois Kercher promoted giving to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) by having new Paul Harris Fellow Ashley Molinaro, tell why she gives to TRF. She says she grew up with many advantages provided by her loving parents and is thankful she can donate to TRF and help others who lack the advantages she had. (TRF is focused on six over-arching goals: clean water, maternal health, literacy, peace and conflict resolution, fighting disease, growing local economies. Half the money donated through our district comes back in three years for clubs like ours to use as district grants to tackle needs in our region.) Rotarian Jim O’Brien, a long-time TRF supporter, encouraged everyone to become aware of the global nature of Rotary.
We inducted two new members to our club. They are Jos Hekking from the Royal Netherlands Air Force, who is a long-time Rotarian working with NATO in Norfolk, and Dianna Starkey, tourism and group sales director for the Virginia Arts Festival.
We have many meaningful service projects and fun socials and interesting tours coming up created just for our club. See the events section of this enewsletter or our website for details.
Happy Bucks & Fines
Thanks go to Rick Coradi who, for the second week in a row, stepped up to collect the money! Sally Hartman contributed Happy Bucks for an Inside Business column she wrote and for her son is coming home for a visit. Jim O’Brien put in happy bucks for his good time at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens walk through the holiday lights with his wife Diane and neighbors Rotarian J.D. Scott and wife Marianne.
Jim Baker was happy to put in money because the Hokies beat Pittsburgh. President Gary Boswick contributed because his brother, who had multiple medical issues, is finally at his home and on the road to recovery. Michael Desplaines wanted other people to kick in money because he put their pictures from the Suds & Buds party in the Botanical Gardens latest brochure. Dyteya Lewis put in happy bucks for Sally Hartman who took over as president of the Public Relations Society of America regional chapter and because she was going to spend Thanksgiving with her mother.
Raffle
George Compo won the raffle.